It’s the final tuneup of the regular season! After today, it’s on to the postseason. Even though the Phillies are already in, they have business to take care of. The Atlanta Braves are tied with the San Diego Padres for the Wild Card. It would be great if the Phillies can kick the Braves out of playoff contention. The Phillies would have an easier road in the postseason if San Diego wins the Wild Card.

The Braves are on the verge of getting swept by a team who has played Triple-A players. In addition, they might miss the postseason. It can’t get much worse for Atlanta, especially knowing that two aces are pitching against them today. Cole Hamels AND Roy Owalt will be teaming up; Hamels will start, and Oswalt will relieve. The Phillies don’t want either to go long enough where they could get injured, but they also want their players to be in a rhythm for the postseason.

Your Gameday Beer – Beck’s
Beck’s, a classic German Brewery, provides tonight’s beer like a present wrapped neatly in tin foil. It’s certainly not the best German beer but it is popular and widely available. Like similar mass-produced pilsners it has that traditional rice and corn beer taste, though not has strong as a Bud or Miller product. It of course goes well with Wiener Schnitzel otherwise known as veal cutlets. – By Brian

i gotta get going off to watch the eagles and my man vick. yes i started him this week!
now we need for SD to win if this holds and the nl is in chaos
and even if Sd doesnt win we get the reds which isnt a bad thing

I know its a meaningless game and the Braves still have a 4 run lead, but I smell a comeback. I also have an epiphany where Tim Hudson is taken out of the game with a broken right arm after being drilled by El Titan De Bronze.

I honestly wanted a braves and padres win today. Make sf,sd,atl play extra games and travel. Theyre rotations will not be set up.
@chuck—–your not really putting any stock in how phils are playing today are you ? This is being approached like a spring training game relax , come wednesday the playoff juices will be flowin i’m not worried at all.

Someone said this was being played like a spring training game – I would say it’s more like Little League rules. Everybody gets to play for at least one at bat and one inning in the field. Does this mean Charlie has to take them all for ice cream after the game even if they lose?

It would be rather pathetic if the Braves took a win too seriously, but I can understand the fans; they’re on the brink of seeing their team extend its season.